From the AP (more to follow):

Rhode Island's House speaker says legislation extending marriage rights to gay couples is dead for the year. House Speaker Gordon Fox, who is gay and is a leading supporter of the gay marriage bill, says that it's clear the bill won't overcome opposition in the Senate.

Fox, a Providence Democrat, says he'll instead sponsor civil union legislation giving same-sex couples the same state rights given to married couples.

The announcement deals a major setback to advocates of gay marriage in the Ocean State. They had called civil unions a poor substitute for full marriage.

Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to defend marriage in Rhode Island, and congrats to Chris Plante at NOM-RI!